Handel: Rinaldo

The relatively recent recording of Rinaldo on Decca led by Christopher Hogwood and starring Cecilia Bartoli and David Daniels is so good you'd think another wouldn't be necessary. But along comes this one, thrillingly led by René Jacobs, with a spectacular cast of Handelians, and now it's somewhat hard to choose. Jacobs presents a vivid, exciting, very theatrical performance which leaps from the speakers. His Armida, Inga Kalna is a remarkable singer, with plenty of bite and embellished flights into the stratosphere; Viveca Genaux makes a fine hero, singing with beautiful tone, and, alternately, tenderness and heroism; Miah Persson is a lovely Almirena; James Rutherford excites as Argante; and the rest of the cast is top-notch. The Baroque orchestra pounces on the music's more dramatic moments with vigor but can spin out enchanting melodies when required. If you can't own both, stick with this one: It will make you understand just how exciting Handel opera can be. --Robert Levine